Complement

XV – Spoiled and Rotten

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As each of the Chosen Two drifted off to sleep that night, it was cradled within the arms that were home, the arms that were love, the arms that were each other's.
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The Slayer found herself staring down at the magnificent Tapestry of Life once again, trying to discern amongst the millions upon millions of Life Threads that which belonged to her and her family. It was an impossible task, the threads were so thin, split off, frayed and intertwined, that she doubted, given a hundred lifetimes, she would ever find one, let alone them all. She sighed wearily and rubbed her eyes like a sleepy child. Somehow, she knew the answer or the knowledge she was to learn from the Fates lay within the tapestry. Obviously, they weren't going to point them out to her, nothing is ever that simple at least not when it came to being a Slayer. Actually, if she thought about it she could no longer separate the core of herself from the Slayer part; they were one in the same. It was just part of who she was.

She wandered around the large room, running her hands over the loom, the staff where the threads were spun. Idly she wondered where the Fates were, it wasn't usual for them to just let her wander around alone. She thought maybe this was some sort of test. She was surprised to see Atropos' shears on the table over in the corner. There was a lot of damage someone could do if they could get their hands on those. As she roamed around the Slayer started to get worried. Why was she here this time? Was the time drawing near for their confrontation with Glory? Was that why she was here? Why now? Why now when things were finally happening, finally right, finally the way they should have been from the beginning between her and...

"Child, welcome." The Slayer could almost swear that Atropos sounded surprised.

"Hey," the Slayer paused unsure of what to say. "Um... You kinda left your shears lying around. Not a good idea I'm thinking."

"Did I?"

The Slayer looked at the table and saw that the shears were no longer there. She wondered if she had tried to pick them up if they would have just disappeared, she had a funny feeling that they would have. She smiled at Atropos, the old woman was a wily old fox, she was.

"This was a test wasn't it?"

"Actually no Child, it wasn't."

"Then why am I here? Why did you bring me here?" The Slayer was truly confused now, if she wasn't brought here for this, then what?

"You tell me," Atropos said no hint in her voice.
WhatWhat's that suppose to mean? You brought me here."

Atropos just shrugged her shoulders. The Slayer was even more confused now and to make matters worse they were in the sitting room instead of the tapestry room. She hated when that happened. She walked over to where Atropos was sitting on the couch doing needlepoint on a rather large tapestry. For the first time she noticed the paintings on the walls. They were so lifelike, the Slayer almost expected the people to walk off the canvas. As she moved closer to them she realized that they weren't paintings, rather they were intricate needlepoint's. The stitches so small and fine that she doubted without her Slayer vision she would have been able to see any of the stitches. They were breathtakingly beautiful each and every one of them. Her eyes traveled over the different portraits, stopping when she came to, two very familiar faces.

"Hey that's..." Then another caught her eye, and another, and another, as she scanned the portraits, unbelievably. "Hey that is..."

"Yes and yes, and yes... They are and you were not supposed to see them just yet, in fact, not for quite some time. I am afraid you caught me off guard. Which hasn't happened to me in... Hmmm... I can't even tell you how long it's been Child since someone has done that. I forget sometimes that you are a Slayer."

"But... Why are..."

"Don't ask, because I can not tell you."

"What do you mean I caught you off guard? You brought me here. How can I catch... Oh..." The Slayer trailed off realizing that if the Fates didn't bring her here then she must have somehow brought herself here. But how?

"I can see that you have figured it out. But by the look on your face you aren't sure how you managed to get here. Correct?"

The Slayer just nodded her head. Temporarily forgetting about the portraits, wondering how, why she would be given this kind of access to the Fates domain.

"Since the first time we brought you here, you had the ability to return anytime you wished. I guess that doesn't explain much, does it? When you sleep if you wish, you can come here when you need to, and if you just simply desire to visit us. In time as your powers as a Slayer grow you will be able to come here if you wish during your waking hours while you meditate. You will also be able to, in time teach, and share this place with your other half. This time you came on your own, the reason for which is known only to you."

"Why? Why am I allowed this privilege?"

"Well that my child I am afraid I can not tell you just yet." Atropos laughed at the I-should-have-known-better look the Slayer gave her.

"Figures... I'm not sure why I wanted to come here myself. I think it has to do with the Tapestry of Life something I am missing... Not sure though... Did you do the tapestries on the wall?" The Slayer looked at the wall of portraits, a puzzled look came over her face, something was wrong. What was it? There were portraits missing, weren't there? She couldn't really remember though, it was sort of fuzzy. Strange.

Atropos saw the puzzled look on the Slayer's face. She had weaved a little magic of her own and made the Slayer forget about the other portraits, well not exactly forget, sort of blurred the memory as best she could. It would resurface when the time was right, which wasn't now. There was one other thing she had neglected to tell the Slayer about her ability to come here, and that was the reason why she could for now only come here in her dreams. It was because for now the only time the Slayer remembered coming here was while she dreamed. The memories of the Fates, what they told her and their domain was only in her unconscious mind, for now. When the time was right she would remember them and all that she was told, and with her last call here by the Fates an understanding of what was to happen and the choice she had to mwoulwould be made clear.

"Yes I did. It is a hobby of mine. Come sit, I will show you."

The Slayer and Atropos sat for a while and talked about mundane things. Atropos showed the Slayer how she worked the needle and threads in the designs and the Slayer was amazed at the skill and the patience it took, as well as the amount of time and care that went into each of the portraits or scenes. It was nice for a while to forget about who they were, to put the reality of their everyday lives on hold for a time. All too soon, it seemed, their time together came to an end.

"It was good to see you again Child. Until next time." Atropos hugged the Slayer and this time the Slayer was given the chance to return that hug before Atropos faded and was gone.

The Slayer was once more in bed dreaming.
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Faith woke to the smell of fresh brewed coffee, eggs, bacon and burnt toast. Her stomach growled in response to the enticing aromas, even the burnt toast. She grumbled a little when she realized that Buffy couldn't be next to her if the smells coming from downstairs were any indication. She had been looking forward to one of those morning kisses they had shared after she was hurt. Looking forward to that and a little more, now that there was nothing holding them back. She looked over at the clock, already knowing that it would be about an hour until the sunrise. Every morning since they had left L.A. with the exception of the two when she was hurt, she and Buffy had been sharing the sunrise together.

Grumbling a little more at being denied her kiss, she got out of the bed. She saw a yellow sticky note on the mirror.

Morning sleepy head. Take a quick shower and meet me in the garden. B.
P.S. I was afraid if I signed it Buffy you wouldn't know who it was from : )

Faith let out a chuckle; she had a feeling that she would be finding a lot of these little notes in the future. It was cute, even if it wasn't the equivalent of a kiss. She practically skipped into the bathroom. She took a quick shower and put on the silke Bue Buffy had bought for her, she thought briefly about putting on shorts and a tee-shirt. But what was the point? While they might get up to watch the sunrise they very rarely stayed awake after, usually they would sleep a few more hours until it was time to take Dawn to school and then go to the shop and train. So there was really no point in getting dressed, the robe would just have to do. And anyway, this morning the witches were going to take Dawn to school for them, another reason to wear just the robe.

Buffy was just coming back inside from the garden when Faith came flying down the stairs. She found herself being lifted up into those strong arms, while Faith planted kisses all over her face, spinning them around in circles 'til they were both dizzy.

"Someone is happy this morning." Buffy smiled at Faith, after she figured out which one the real Faith was, her head was still spinning.

"How could I not be?!!?" Faith said with a silly grin.

"OH SHIT!" Buffy yelped then took off running for the kitchen. Faith followed her, the smell of freshly burnt toast assailing her nostrils.

"Damn, damn, damn. What did I ever do to you? Why don't you like me?" Buffy mumbled at the toaster.

Faith looked at the pile ornt rnt toast on the counter, it looked to be about a half a bags worth.

"Ah... B... It's not you, that toaster doesn'ke ake anyone. It kinda doesn't work right. I meant to throw it away but I forgot. You have to use the toaster oven to make toast. Why don't you let me make the toast? You finish whatever else needs to be done. 'K?"

"'K," Buffy grabbed up Faith and gave her a kiss that made her hair curl even more. Then she was out of her arms and out of her reach before she had a chance to pursue it further. Faith went after her.

She turned around, her hand out halting Faith and giving her a pretty good imitation of Willow's 'Resolve Face.' "No! Toast!"

Faith pouted at her.

"We have plenty of time. Let's eat first before everything gets cold. This way there won't be anything interrupting us later. Like your stomach growling!" Buffy said in a softer tone, with an impish grin, while her eyes lazily raked over the raven-haired Slayer.
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Faith metfy ofy out in the garden after finishing making the toast. There was a large picnic blanket on the ground. The pillows that had been in front of the fireplace where piled on it, and the low table was out there as well. Faith had to laugh at the amount of food piled upon the table. There was a very large platter with eggs, bacon, and sausage. Another platter piled high with fresh fruit, strawberries, melon, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, and cantaloupe. As well as fair size bowl of fresh whipped cream. There were two big glasses of orange juice and a container with coffee.

"Wow! I thought you said you couldn't cook B." Faith sat down next to Buffy.

"Eggs, bacon, and sausage, that's about the extent of my culinary abilities."

"Looks great. I'm starved."

"Gee that's a big surprise." Buffy smiled at the Dark Slayer.

Faith piled a plate high with food, taking a little bit of everything and surprised Buffy by handing it to her. She poured a cup of coffee added two sugars and a little cream and handed that to Buffy as well. Then she set about making herself a plate, which she piled even higher, as well as making herself a cup of sugar and cream with a little bit of coffee thrown in for good measure.

"Thanks," Buffy said finally remembering her manners.

"Welcome. It's the least I could do after all you did last night and now this morning, even if I do have a huge hickey!" Faiave ave Buffy one of her lopsided grins, which countered the last part that was grumbled out.

"Really. A hickey?" Buffy asked all innocent and sweet between bites.

"Yeah B, as if you didn't know." Faith grumbled a little more. In reality, it didn't bother her.

Buffy put her plate down and slid closer to Faith, reaching out to move Faith's hair out of the way.

"Let me see." Buffy saw the rather good size hickey on Faith's neck by her ear. Again, she felt a primal pleasure at leaving her mark on Faith. She had no clue where the feeling was coming from but she couldn't help but smile.

"Oh my. So sorry. Let me kiss it and make it better." She purred out to Faith.

Buffy leaned into Faith and placed a light tender kiss on the mark, whispering to her around the kiss, "Better?"

"Almost," Faith whispered back.

She ran her mouth down the length of Faith's neck then back up to the tender spot, lightly kissing it again. Running her tongue along the spot, then scraping her teeth along it. She nipped it, scraped her teeth a little harder, kissing it again, sucking on the mark, making it even darker.

Faith could swear that Buffy was purring like a cat while she was doing this, could swear that the spot on her neck had a direct link with her center as well. She gasped low, when Buffy began to suck on her neck, feeling the familiar heat rise up again.

Buffy pulled back from Faith and traced the mark with her fingertips. "Ooops! Think I made it worse!" She slid back over and picked up her plate and began eating her breakfast again, and impish glint in her eyes.

"You don't play fair. You know that B?"
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After they had polished off all the eggs, bacon and sausage, Buffy pulled Faith back into her embrace.

Faith found herself reclining back against Buffy's raised knee, her legs over the top of Buffy's other leg.

Buffy pulled the low table closer to her, reaching over she picked up one of the ripe strawberries.

"Want?" Buffy asked Faith holding the strawberry over Faith's mouth, her other hand nonchalantly running over Faith's shoulders and neck.

Faith just nodded yes, amazed by the smoldering ember of arousal that was starting just from the sound of Buffy's voice so close to her ear. This side of Buffy awed Faith, she had a sneaky feeling that being the seducer rather than the seduced was new to Buffy. She knew for herself that she had always been the aggressor, so this was new to her, and damn if she wasn't loving it. It made her feel wanted in ways that she never dreamed possible. And damn if Buffy wasn't good at being the seductress.

"Another?" This time before Buffy brought the strawberry to Faith's mouth she bit a little off the tip. She stopped shy of Faith's mouth and slowly ran it along her lips, tempting Faith with it but not letting her have it. Then impishly she popped into her own mouth. Her other hand continued to run over Faith nonchalantly, reaching lower.

"Mmmmm. These are good. Sweet." She murmured low in Faith's ear, causing her to shudder. While her other hand untied the sash to Faith's robe, then glided up to open the robe baring Faith to the pale pre-dawn light. Her hand once again nonchalantly continuing its lazy travels over Faith's now exposed body.

Buffy picked up another strawberry. She brought it to Faith's lips running it along them again.

"Open," Faith did as she was told and Buffy put the strawberry halfway into her mouth.

"Bite," again, Faith did as she was told, Buffy's low and husky voice tickled her ear.

Buffy then ran the half-eaten strawberry around Faith's mouth, squeezing the strawberry lightly so that the juice dripped down from her lips towards her chin.

Faith's mouth glistened with the strawberry juice. Buffy fed the rest of the strawberry to Faith. She ran her hand up behind Faith's neck and pulled her towards her, leaning into her. She began to lap up the strawberry juice from Faith's chin and lips.

The touch of her tongue feather light, she smiled when she heard Faith growl low in her throat. Faith reached around Buffy and grabbed a strawberry for herself, wanting to return the favor. Buffy snatched it from her hand, shaking a finger at Faith in the age-old sign of No.

"Never got to finish spoiling you last night, want to finish now. Can I?" Buffy's smile seduced Faith, who just nodded yes.

She continued to feed Faith from the tray, teasing her with the fruit. Tasting it from her mouth, her lips, with feather light touches of her tongue and mouth, until Faith was aching for just a little more of a kiss, a little more pressure, something more then just Buffy's teasing kisses that were driving her crazy.

"B..." Buffy looked at Faith and saw raw need in her eyes, written across her face. Her hand slid lower delving into the slick hot wetness of Faith.

Faith drove herself up hard into Buffy's hand, her need overwhelming her. The desire had come over her hard, fast and urgent, seemingly from out of nowhere.

Buffy plunged her fingers into Faith forcefully knowing that now was not the time to tease her, even without their shared echoing of feelings she could feel the burning need coming off Faith. She was feeling it herself, it was like they had both suddenly gone into heat. It was primal, as if last night had released a part of the first Slayer in both of them. It wasn't just lust though, lust was part of it, but there was tenderness, passion, desire, all wrapped in the love the Slayers had for each other. Their need physically to express that to each other had taken hold in the form of raw primal desire.

Faith pulled Buffy down to her almost violently. Her mouth slamming into Buffy's in a fierce kiss, plunging her tongue deep into Buffy's mouth, moaning in need.

Buffy moaned back her fingers plunging into Faith at a punishing rate, her thumb seeking out her clit and pressing into it hard, circling, punishing it too.

Faith's body arched up hard and stilled for a second before her orgasm rolled over her, her muscles tightening around Buffy's fingers with such force that they almost went numb. Faith wrenched her mouth away, yelling out Buffy's name so loud Buffy's ears actually rang. A primal satisfaction went through her at the thought that she had made Faith feel this way.

Faith was in the throes of one of the most intense orgasms of her life. Every part of her felt it; it was like a live wire was touching every nerve in her body. Dimly she heard the sound of platters hitting the tiled ground as Buffy continued driving into her, prolonging her orgasm, intensifying it. Then Buffy was lifting her and placing her on the low table. Later she would swear she heard Buffy actually growling and then Buffy's mouth was on her and Faith was sent off into ecstasy again as another wave rolled over her prolonging the fire in her even longer.

Buffy plunged her tongue into Faith's slick center with almost tame ame punishing force of her fingers only a few seconds ago. Her fingers moved to torture Faith's clit, while her other hand slid up Faith's body to capture a nipple, rolling and playing with it with equal abandonment.

Buffy ruthlessly drove Faith to a second orgasm then a third; she was helpless under Buffy's hands and mouth. Buffy's own desire rose higher, out of her control, each time Faith screamed out her name.

Faith sat up still in the throes of her last climax, she pulled Buffy away from her, pushing her none too gently onto her back, moaning as her body still convulsed.

Faith's mouth was on Buffy's own dripping center before Buffy was even completely lying back, her fingers thrusting, curling up into Buffy with the same punishing force Buffy had used on her. Her tongue flicking hard over Buffy's clit, biting, sucking it into her mouth, within seconds she felt Buffy's core clenching her fingers, as Buffy pushed herself even hardnto nto her mouth, screaming out Faith's name as loudly as Faith had screamed hers only a short time ago.

Buffy's body convulsed so forcefully she almost came up into a sitting position. Then a second climax was steam rolling over her before the first had even finished. Faith was still driving into her moaning around her clit sending the vibration throughout her body. Liquid fire was running through every cell of her body, she screamed out Faith's name again.

She pulled Faith up and over her, sliding her hand behind her neck pulling her down to her mouth. Kissing her without mercy, her other hand sliding down into Faith's moist heat, while Faith's fingers continued to plunge into her, as they mercilessly propelled each other toward another climax.

Faith pulled away from the kiss her head dropping down to Buffy's shoulder as she chanted Buffy's name like a mantra. She bit down hard on Buffy's shoulder as she felt herself start to climax again, her fingers increasing their rhythm, delving deeper into Buffy. Faith's orgasm ripped through her, scorching her, searing her, she saw colors flashing behind her closed eyes. It rose even higher as she felt Buffy climaxing around her fingers, and yelling out her name hoarsely.

Afterwards they lay holding each other tightly; still trembling, exhausted, smiling they drifted off to sleep.
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I know you feel it ~ This is a serious chemistry ~ You don't have to believe it ~ But the truth will set you free ~ You're flashing like white neon ~ in my mind and it's alright ~ I must be spoiled and rotten ~ cause no one else will ever do ~ Don't you forget I get what I want ~ All I want is you...
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Finally, after a very long shower and three or four attempts at getting dressed two very sedate, sleepy, silly-ass smiling sore Slayers emerged from the Mansion. It was early evening and if they didn't have to go pick up Dawn at the witches they would have probably still been trying to get dressed. Together they dragged out the garbage can to curb.

"Holy shit B. What was that like total lust-puppy mode or what?" Faith asked blushing, half joking, half not. Sighing inside, that had come out completely the wrong way.

How it was possible that she could be blushing after last night, and today she hadn't a fucking clue, but the heat she felt on her neck and face told her that she was. They had devoured each other all morning into the early evening. Even now, she could feel the desire rising up in her again, hell she could feel it coming from Buffy too.

Buffy looked at Faith, her own thoughts along the same line. She felt the passion rising in her again, even knowing that her body couldn't take anymore or Faith's for that matter. It was almost like they were trying to get in a lifetime together in a few short days. Trying to make up for all that they had lost out on, but it was more than just that. Buffy believed it had to do with the connection they shared, the echoing of feelings that was happening between them. It seemed to escalate and double the feelings, the emotions. They really needed to talk about it; they needed to talk to Giles about this echoing thing, among other things as well.

"Lust-puppy mode, yes, but... It was more than just lust Faith. Lust was part of it sure. But there was desire, passion, tenderness... more teveneven that... I don't even know how to explain it. It was like I wanted to be part of you and you to be a part of me. It's like we're connected in a way that I've never, and I don't think you've ever been, with anyone before. More than just by our connection as Slayers. I just know I feel more alive, more whole with you than I've ever have in my life."

Buffy wanted to tell Faith that she loved her, but something was holding her back. Some deep seeded instinct was telling her not to, not yet. Over the years, she had learned to trust that internal voice. No, it hadn't always been right, but somehow Buffy just knew that it was this time. Somehow, she knew it had to do with Faith's past. Just knew that Faith needed to be the one to say it first, not why, not how, she just knew.

Faith closed the distance between them, bringing Buffy into her embrace, whispering in her ear, "That how it felt, how it feels for me too."

They pulled apart when they heard the next-door neighbor that neither of them had ever met before, dragging his garbage can down the driveway. Another man followed him dragging a second can. They walked over towards the Slayers, waving a hello.

"Hi. I'm Gary and this is James." Gary said extending his hand to Faith, while James extended his hand to Buffy, "So which one of you is Faith and which one is Bee?"

The Chosen Two turned scarlet, both knowing how the neighbors knew their names.

"Oh shit!" Faith mumbled, "Ah.. we... ah..."

"Hey don't worry about it," Gary said. "James and I have been known to frolic in the garden ourselves. Although not at five o'clock in the morning."

The Chosen Two stared at the two men with open mouths. What the hell were they supposed to say?

"You've got about as much tact as a bulldozer Gary." James said playfully punching him on the arm. "Welcome to the neighborhood. Just watch out for old lady Crabtree. She doesn't like our kind. So which of you is which?"

"She's Faith and I'm B, I mean Buffy." Buffy was a little flustered to say the least.

"Buffy? I think I like Bee better." Gary smiled at Buffy.

"See B. It isn't just me," Faith smirked.

Both Gary and Faith were rewarded by playful punches from both their significant others.
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They were in the training room. Faith was practicing her spinning kicks; she still had some trouble with them, specifically following through with her head. Buffy was holding the body bag for her. She moved the bag out of her way so she could get a clear look at Faith whose back was to her. She watched as Faith rolled her shoulders trying to ease some of the tension from them. Buffy's eyes traversed lower down the length of Faith's spine, seeing the muscles move e, fe, feeling the all too familiar heat rise in her again. She was wondering after the last two days if it would always be like this between them. It had never been like this for her with anyone else.

They still needed to tell Giles about their relationship, and Buffy had been putting it off. He was like a father to her and she was afraid of disappointing him. She knew she wasn't being fair to him, he didn't seem to have a problem with Willow and Tara being together so she had no reason to think that he would have a problem with her and Faith.

'Damn but she's got a nice ass.'

Buffy was so busy checking out Faith's ass, and lost in thought about how to talk to Giles that she didn't see Faith's kick coming at her until it was too late.

Faith, who once again didn't follow through correctly, didn't see she was about to hit Buffy in the face until a second before it happened. She twisted her body trying to pull out and succeeded in only coming down hard on her hand, knowing instantly that it was sprained. At the same time, she realized she had sent Buffy flying across the room, knocking her out cold.

"B?" She questioned softly.

No answer came from the still body that lay about ten feet from her. Blood was pouring from Buffy's nose where the ball of Faith's foot had hit her and from her mouth where Faith's heel had hit.

"B?" She queried softly again. She scrambled over to Buffy on her hands and knees, pulled her head into her lap and frantically started wiping away the blood that was still coming from her nose, then just as frantically started wiping away the blood coming from Buffy's split and swollen lip.

"BUFFY!" She screamed terrified.

'OHGOD!WHYISN'TSHEMOVING?FUCKME!OHGOD!'

Giles, Willow, Tara and Spike came rushing into the training room after hearing Faith's tortured scream, they hesitated but a second upon seeing Faith cradling Buffy in her arms and the blood that covered both Slayers.

"What happened here?" Giles asked Faith as he knelt besides them, quickly scanning the room, thinking that Glory might have something to do with this.

"I... I don't know. I was practicing my kicks and I hit her... I tried to stop... Why isn't she moving Giles? Why?"

Willow ran and got the first aid kit and some towels before Giles even asked.

"Faith let Buffy go so I can take a look at her." Giles waited for Faith to release Buffy but it was like she hadn't heard him. "Faith you need to let Buffy go so I can see what you did to her." It came out harsher than he wanted and not quite the way he wanted to say it.

Giles saw the hurt in Faith's eyes that his words had caused when she looked up at him. Right now though, his only thoughts were to check Buffy, he would apologize later to Faith for his harsh tone and words. He knew she hadn't meant to hurt Buffy, he didn't have any idea how deep his words affected her. Carefully Faith laid Buffy on floor, propping her head up on the cushion that Tara had dragged over from the couch.

"I didn't mean to hurt her. I didn't." Faith stood and backed away, wiping her bloody hands on her shorts. She watched as Giles carefully cleaned away the blood from Buffy's face.

She started trembling when she saw Buffy's face, nose bruised, swollen, bleeding, and her mouth split, swollen, and bleeding too. Unconsciously she began to claw at the blood on her hands, causing welts to rise, and small scrapes that began to bleed lightly.

"I don't think her nose is broken, seems to be more bluster than anything else. It looks like the kick just knocked her out. Willow is there any smelling salt in that kit?" Giles asked relieved.

Spike, who had been standing off to the side not saying anything, caught the scent of 'new' blood. He looked over at Faitd sad saw what she was doing to her hands. "Christ," he uttered under his breath as he made his way over towards the Dark Slayer. While no one had told him what was going on between the two Slayers his vampire senses had told him. He might be in love with Buffy, but he was old enough to know that he didn't have a shot in hell with her. Any hope he might have been harboring had disappeared over the last few weeks after seeing the two of them together. The day that the Watchers Council had shown up had killed the very last of it. As he saw what Faith was doing to her hands he instantly understood, there was plenty of blood on his own hands that was for sure.

Ever since the chip had been put in his head, he had been slowly but surely changing. He often wondered now, if in fact, it was true that he didn't have a soul. Or if it was more that once infected with the demon when he was turned, it combined with the dark side or evil that everyone has had so outweighed the good part of his soul that those combined essences had caused his actual soul to become dormant.

He knew as he approached Faith that she would not accept his help or any kind words. His best approach with her right now was to revert back to William the Bloody and make Faith angry. What she was doing to herself was a good indication that a part of her didn't believe that she had not meant to hurt Buffy, and thought the others would not believe it too. Giles words had found a hidden insecurity in the Dark Slayer. The old Spike would have used this to his advantage, but to hurt Faith would be like hurting Buffy and that was something Spike no longer had the desire to do. He envied what they had and in an odd way was happy for them both, while he would live forever or at the very least many more lifetimes, their lives because they were Slayers was short at best. So while he wished he could have Buffy for himself, he could not begrudge either of them the happiness and love they had found with each other.

"Nice job Slayer," Spike said sarcastically as he stood next to Faith. She ignored him. "Next time you should try a little harder."

Faith turned to him, her eyes blazing with anger. "Fuck you Spike. I didn't mean to hurt her."

Giles helped Buffy to sit up now that she was awake. Willow, Tara and Giles were oblivious to the interaction going on between Spike and Faith. Buffy heard what Faith said and turned towards them. She caught Spike's quick glance down at Faith's hands, which she was still clawing at and saw the furrow between his eyebrows and the quickly hidden concern in his eyes before he spoke again.

"Right Slayer, sure you didn't mean to hurt her."

Buffy knew in an instant what he was trying to do.

"Fuck you!" Faith's tone was furious and loud. She shoved Spike, sending him flying backwards. Clenching her fists, she took a threatening step towards him. "I didn't mean to hurt her! It was an a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t." She said slowly through clenched teeth.

"Faith," Buffy called to her softly.

Faith moved over to Buffy side so fast she made everyone's head spin; she knelt down next to the golden-haired Slayer. "B... You okay? I'm sorry... I didn't mean..."

"I know baby. It wasn't your fault..." Buffy grabbed both of Faith's hands. Faith winced at the pain, and looked down at her hands noticing for the first time what she had done to them... again.

"Oh shit..." It dawned on Faith suddenly what Spike had been trying to do. She looked at Spike, and waited for him to return her gaze; she silently thanked him with her eyes.

Spike just nodded his acceptance of her thanks. It was time for him to make a quiet exit. While he might realize he could never have Buffy it was painful to watch her with someone else.

"Faith why don't you help Buffy into my office, I would like to talk to the two of you."

Giles watched as Faith simply picked up Buffy. Cradling Buffy in her arms like a newborn infant. If he did not already know what was going on between them he would have known that instant. Both wore their feelings for each other on their sleeves. It was in every look they exchanged, in the tone of their voices when they spoke to each other, in the unconscious way they always stayed within arms length of each other. The light touches they shared when they passed by each other.

He would have had to be deaf, dumb and blind not to see, or hear it. Unfortunately for them, they were going to have to learn how to block it out when they were training and slaying, this was twice now that one of them had gotten hurt because they had allowed themselves to get distracted by their feelings for the other. It was unfortunate all right and Giles wasn't looking forward to having this talk with them. He had hoped that they would come to him. Now however, he was going to have to force the issue, he couldn't risk either of them getting hurt. He already thought of Buffy and Dawn as his own daughters, Willow, Tara, Xander, and even Anya like they were his children as well. And of late he had begun to think of Faith that way too.
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Faith laid Buffy down gently on the couch in Giles office. She perched on the arm of the couch by Buffy's head, her hands shoved in her pockets hoping that none of the other's had seen what she had done to them. Fuck, she was going to have to wear the lifting gloves for a few days again. Especially since she didn't want to alarm Dawn even further once she saw Buffy.

Giles entered the office a few seconds after the Slayers, the two witches trailed behind him. The three of them were looking back and forth between the two Slayers, their gazes finally coming to rest on Faith. She squirmed a little under their gaze and stood.

"I... I didn't mean to hurt her. I swear... You know that don't you?" Faith pleaded. She was desperate for them to believe her. She didn't want to lose their trust, not after so recently gaining it completely.

"That goes without saying Faith. I apologize for being so harsh with you. If you mistook what I said in any way that made you think that I thought you did this on purpose, I am sorry. It was not my intention. My concern for Buffy got the best of me."

Faith smiled a little at him. She turned her gaze to the two witches. "Willow? Tara?"

Willow and Tara were a little shocked to realize that Faith actually thought they might think that she would hurt Buffy on purpose. Although, Willow realized, it really would have been her first thought not to long ago. The fact that Faith had actually used both of their names instead of her nicknames for them showed the seriousness of her question.

"Of course we know you wouldn't hurt Buffy on purpose."

Faith looked a little doubtful at Willow, not sure whether to believe her or not. It became clear to Willow by that look it wasn't really them that Faith doubted, but herself. Afraid perhaps that some hidden place inside of her still wanted to hurt Buffy. Faith was looking to them to help reinforce what she herself couldn't, would not believe was true. Faith knew that if any one of them thought for a second that she had tried to hurt Buffy on purpose, that there really was a hidden part of her that was still angry, still hadn't changed.

"Faith I think I am safe in saying that you would rather die than ever hurt Buffy in any way ever again. We all believe that, even Xander. And further I think I am safe in saying that Buffy feels the same way about you."

"It wasn't even your fault Faith. If I didn't get distracted you would have hit the bag instead of me." Buffy said slowly, it was a little hard to speak clearly with her split, swollen lip. Not to mention it hurt.

"Yes. Um... Before we get on the subject of your getting distracted Buffy, I believe Faith's hands need some medical attention."

"Ah... they're fine G-Man. Just fine."

Giles was not going to take no for an answer. He beckoned to Faith to come over to him, giving her the Stern-Father-Resolve-Face. Like Willow's Resolve-Face Giles' face clearly stated the Borgs, Resistance is futile mantra.

'What the fuck? Everybody's got a Resolve Face but me?' Faith thought, still refusing to budge from her perch.

"Faith," Giles said softly, "I know all about the scars. So please come here and let me take care of your hands."

Faith and Buffy exchanged looks. She knew that Buffy wouldn't have told Giles about this without first asking her if it was all right to do so. So how then, did he know?

It looked like this talk was going to be about more than just the two of them allowing their feelings for each other to distract them. He would tell them the whole of it; it was time they knew anyway. Both he and Angel had held their tongues on this, agreeing in the beginning when Faith first returned to Sunnydale that the time was not right. Tbothboth had often wondered if things would have happened differently had they not. Of late though, both had begun to think that it might have made things worse instead of better. The time for secrets though was long since past.

Giles saw the confused look the Slayers exchanged and said, "Let me take care of your hands first and I will explain everything to you."

Willow and Tara couldn't help the gasps that escaped them when Faith held out her hands to Giles. They had seen the scars but unlike Buffy, they had not seen them up close. They had asked Buffy about them, but she had told them to ask Faith or to wait until Faith felt comfortable enough to tell them about the scars. Without actually seeing them up close, the witches had not been able to determine like Buffy that they had been self-inflicted. Now, seeing the fresh marks on Faith's hands they had no doubts how the Dark Slayer had gotten them. Then as if someone had whispered in their minds and painted a picture both witches got a flash of Faith's words of So much blood on my hands, and an image of the blood she saw on her hands in her own mind everyday.
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Giles cleaned and bandaged Faith's hands and wrapped her sprained wrist. He tried to keep his face expressionless when he saw the amount of damage Faith had done to them. He felt guilt as he looked at them and a sense of having failed her. Surely there was something he could have done that could have prevented this. Could have helped the Dark Slayer, prevented her from going down that path. He mentally berated himself for being a snob, because like the others, back then he had deep down inside thought that Faith hadn't been good enough to be one of them. Like the others he had never looked beneath the surface of the girl, instead he had judged her by her appearance alone. Had never heard the meaning behind her words, had never looked into her eyes to see if they echoed the words that fell from her lips. They had all made mistakes where Faith was concerned but it was she, who had paid the highest price for them. There was more than enough blame to go around, only back then none of them had been willing to take their fair share. And like Buffy had thought not to long ago, he thanked whomever for giving him a chance to make things right, giving him a chance to redeem himself for his earlier actions.

As if she had read his thoughts, Faith lightly put her hand on Giles shoulder. Shokedoked him in the eyes and smiled softy at him.

"It's okay G-man. It's all in the past now."

Faith walked back over to Buffy on the couch, who sat up and made room for her. Without even thinking, as if it were second nature to both of them, Buffy laid her head back down in Faith's lap, who started gently to stroke her hair soothingly.

"Maybe we should leave," Tara stood up Willow was quick to follow.

Giles looked to Faith. This was her choice, what he was about to tell them had to do with the scars, and it wasn't his place to decide whether the witches should know about it.

"Stay," she said simply.

Giles took off his glasses and started cleaning them while he waited for Willow and Tara to sit back down.

"Yes. Well, I suppose it would be best to start at the beginning." Giles cleared his throat, trying to compose his thoughts.

"Faith did you ever wonder how Angel knew to come and get youthe the courthouse the day you were released from prison?"

Faith shook her head no. That day was still a little fuzzy for her. She had never asked Angel and he had never told her. Actually, she had never given it much thought, over the last year Angel just had been there for her when she needed him. She had never questioned it.

Giles took a deep breath, he knew what he was about to say was going to shock everyone in the room; it certainly had shocked him when he was told.

"Buffy's mother, Joyce, called Angel that day to come and get you Faith."

"What? Mom never said..."

"Mrs. S. was..."

"Mom called..."

"...there?"

"...Angel... How?"

"...I don't remember her..."

"...Why?..."

Giles held up his hand for silence as the Chosen Two both talked over the other in their rush to question Giles.

"Let me tell you the whole of it. Then you can ask me your questions and I will answer them as best as I can." Taking another deep breath Giles began again.

"A few days before Joyce passed away she asked to speak alone with me. That day she told me that she was planning to go to L.A. to see you Faith. By then, you were working for Angel at the agency. When I asked her why, she told me the whole of it. When Buffy returned from L.A. after you had turned yourself in, Joyce decided to keep tabs on your progress. She was surprised, Buffy, our our refusal to believe that Faith could change or at the very least that Faith wanted to change. You see, there was a part of her, despite everything that had happened, that did not believe that you were evil, Faith. She contacted a detective on the L.A.P.D. whom I believe you know Faith, named Kate Lockley who agreed to keep her informed. Detective Lockley also managed to have Joyce listed as a contact in your prison file should something happen to you while you were in custody. A few months ago, she got a phone call from the prison doctor about you. He told her..." Giles trailed off here, looking at Faith. She nodded at him to continue "T "The doctor told her about what the guards had done to you. He told her that it appeared the guards had been beating you daily for about a week. How you were dehydrated and suffering from malnutrition. The doctor also told her of the carnage you had inflicted upon your own hands. He told her he didn't know how or why you ended up in solitary. What Joyce didn't tell him was that he was probably wrong about the amount of time you had spent in solitary. Joyce figured with your Slayer healing you had been in solitary for twice the amount of time he estimated. She was right, wasn't she Faith?"

"Twelve days." Her voice came out a hoarse whisper, her mouth dry. She had not expected to have to talk of this ever again. She did not expect that it would still be so painful, but then again she had not expected that she would ever do to her hands again, what she had done less than an hour ago.

Faith's hand trembled against Buffy's hair, who immediately sat up, and pulled her close to her. Buffy's arms coming around the raven-haired Slayer in support, in comfort.

"I was attacked in the shower by four inmates and two guards..."

Faith retold the tale of what happened to her in prison. How she was attacked and then thrown in solitary. How the guards had tried to break her, first by denying her food and water. When that didn't work, how they had tried to break her by beating her, sometimes more than once a day. Until they were too tired to beat her anymore or she had passed out. Her voice became a hoarse whisper when she told them of the blood she saw on her hands, and what she had done to them to try to get it off. The guards, she said, had tried to break her, what they didn't realize was that she was already broken.

There was silence in the room for a time after Faith finished speaking. All of them wondering if they would have had the strength to have survived all of that. Would have had the strength to survive all of whaith ith had implied had been her life even before coming to Sunnydale. There wasn't one person in that room who didn't admire the Dark Slayer for the strength of will it had taken for her to survive against all the odds and turn her life around.

Willow started to speak only to be stopped by Faith's raised trembling hand. "No, Red... Please just let Giles finish his story... Another time we can talk about this. Okay?"

Giles cleared his throat again, fiddling with his glasses. "After Joyce spoke with the doctor she decided to go to L.A., she already knew that you were going to court the next day Faith, so she made arrangements to go. If you recall Buffy, your Mother left on an unexpected trip for an art auction on a Sunday a few months ago. At this point even Angel did not know that she would be there. She told me she knew the instant that you came into the courtroom Faith, that you had changed and the Mother in her told her that onlyonly had you changed but also that you were in pain, and something was terribly wrong. She decided in that second that no matter what the outcome of the trial that she was going to do everything in her power to help you. She had not been prepared however for what happened when all the charges were dropped and she saw what you had done to yourself. When the Judge had you removed from the courtroom, she heard him mention something about having you institutionalized. She did not think that would be best for you. Any talk of being a Slayer would land you drugged and locked away for the rest of your life. She also feared that the Watchers Council would be able to get their hands on you in an institution whereas they could not while you were in prison. She ran up and spoke with the Judge introducing herself as your Aunt. Which, believe it or not, she was listed as on your file. With the Judge's help, she made arrangements to have Angel come for you. You had trusted him once to help you and she hoped that you would again. She waited outside of the room you were in until he arrived. Joyce and Angel kept in contact with each other. He told her of your progress and then later it was Wesley who kept her up to date. She had planned on coming to see you sooner, but then she had gotten sick. When I spoke with her that day she told me that she wanted to let you know that she had forgiven you, but that was not her only reason for going. She said there was another reason, one that she had not even told to Angel. She had been dreaming about the two of you. There was darkness and light surrounding you in the dreams. She said she came to understand of the darkness and light, how one complimented the other. How they completed the other, making a full circle. Like the yin and yang."

No one noticed the look the two witches exchanged as Giles said this last part.

"What she took for the meaning of the dreams was that in order for the two of you to heal and to forgive yourselves you needed to do it together. That even more importantly as she watched you two in the dreams together she felt that there was a rightness to it, a belonging, as if you two were separate, but still part of the other. So she was going to L.A. to talk with you Faith about coming back here. To see if you were strong enough, because she did not think that it would be easy. She knew that Buffy had not forgiven herself for stabbing you. Had not forgiven herself for any of it and had certainly not forgiven you Faith. She knew too Faith, that you would never really forgive yourself until Buffy forgave you. She was determined that you two would work things out and forgive each other. Only she never got the chance to come and see you Faith or to talk to you about it Buffy."

"Giles why didn't you or Angel tell me this when Faith first came back to Sunnydale?"

"Would you have listened Buffy? Would you have believed either of us? Or would you have convinced yourself that Faith had found some way to fool your Mother?"

"I..." She was going to say yes she would have believed them, but she knew that was a lie. "No. I am ashamed to say I would not have believed either of you. I was too determined not to believe Faith had changed. I am not even sure if I would have even believed Mom."

"She forgave me?" Faith whispered so softly only Buffy heard her.

Buffy smiled at Faith, she saw the unshed tears in her eyes. She knew that Faith regretted never having the chance to make things right with her Mom. Buffy sent up a silent thanks to her Mother, grateful for Faith's sake that her Mom had been able to see past her own anger and see who Faith really was.

"I have to say that seeing you two together I have to agree with Joyce." Giles watched the Chosen Two waiting for them to grasp the meaning and implications of his words.

"You... you... Giles you know? But how? When?" Buffy asked him, her arms still wrapped possessively and protectively around Faith.

Faith looked at Giles puzzled from where her head lay against Buffy shoulder, as her hand idly worried Buffy's workout shorts from where itted ted against Buffy's thigh. Though they had not spoken the words to each other, the moment they had become the keeper of each other's heart and soul, their actions had become natural to them, as if they had been born to be this way with each other. They were unconscious of the fact that there was indeed an air of rightness about them, a belonging, when they were near each other.

Tara and Willow couldn't help but giggle at how inane Buffy's reaction to Giles' statement was. Even Giles couldn't help but to smile.

"What's so funny?"

"Gee Buffy... I don't ever recall sitting on the couch quite that way with you." Willow told the Chosen Two between giggles.

The Slayers both turned bright red, but they did not move apart. At the same time, they both realized that being together for them was as natural as breathing and neither was ashamed of that, and they were no longer willing to hide it. Faith's hand sought oud fod found Buffy's at the same time that Buffy's was seeking hers.

"Giles?" Buffy questioned him, knowing he would know what she was asking.

"I do not have a problem with this Buffy. I have to agree with what your Mother said; there's a rightness about the two of you being together."

Buffy and Faith both looked at Giles a little bit amazed, they had expected that he would be at least a little uncomfortable about this. But, he showed not the slightest bit of discom and and it thrilled both of them that he accepted them.

"What I do have a problem with however... is when one of you gets hbecabecause you have allowed your feelings for each other to distract you. Like today and when Faith ended up in the hospital a few weeks ago... Now..."

The Chosen Two and the two witches made themselves a little more comfortable as Giles started to talk. They knew he was right and further they knew he would go on about it for quite some time.
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"Giles there something we need to talk with you about, actually Will and Tara might be able to help as well." Buffy paused for a second trying to organize her thoughts.

"You know how Faith and I always have seemed to have had this connection as Slayers. You know being able to sense when the other was near, like how our Slayer senses go off when a vamp is near. How we could always read each other's emotions or feelings. Well it's become more then just that."

"What do you mean by more?"

"Well, we can sort of... not sort of... we can feel what each other is feeling. It's kind of like a muffled echo... But for me at least, it has been getting stronger. It's like our Slayer connection has evolved to be more."

"Faith this holds true for you as well?"

"Yeah."

"Can either of you give me an example?"

The Chosen Two looked at each other, they both blushed. For the most part this happened when they were making love; it was the most intense then as well. Over the last few weeks, it had become a part of both of them; they had both just accepted it. They could not read each other thoughts, but if they concentrated hard enough, they could send out their feelings to each other. They both knew they had to learn how to control it, how to block it if necessary, it could become a liability in a fight. If one of them gurt urt and the other got distracted, or became frozen by what the other was feeling they would be of no help to each other, themselves or anyone else that was in danger.

"The day the council came here for me... I felt Buffy's fear, her anger, when I was in the back. It was why I came running out here..."

"...Then I felt Faith's terror when she saw who they were. I also felt her fear that we would let them take her, only it wasn't fear that either Dawn or I would let them take her, but that the rest of you would. I concentrated on sending the calmness I was feeling to her..."

"...And I felt when Buffy did that. But I think it started before even then... I think it started the first time we did Tai Chi together."

"Why do you think that Faith?" It was a little disconcerting to have them finishing each other's sentences.

"When Angel first brought me back to the Hyperion, and we started doing Tai Chi in the morning together he used to share with me his peace, his tranquility. I am not really sure how to explain it, but... it was like he surrounded me with it. Later he taught me how to do it, how to open my mind, how to visualize it growing and surrounding not just me but anyone else I wanted. The first time Buffy and I did Tai Chi I could sense her turmoil so I visualized sharing my tranquility with her..."

"...And it worked but... actually the first time was in Angel's apartment the night you returned..."

"...Ever since I got back to Sunnydale I've felt that our Slayer connection was even stronger... Considering everything that had happened between us it was kind of weird... It's like somehow our Slayer connection was opened u..."

"The spell!" Willow shouted interrupting Faith. Besides, they were making her dizzy finishing each other's sentences like they had been doing. "The spell. The enjoining spell. How stupid... How could we not realize that it would affect Faith too? She's a Slayer... Dumb.. Dumb... And the o...h..nothing" Willowppedpped herself looking at Tara. They shared a silent agreement not to say anything about what it was they saw/felt/sensed about the two Slayers. They were in silent accord that this was something the Chosen Two should discover for themselves.

"I believe you may be correct Willow. This indeed may have something to do with it."

"Huh?" Faith looked around at them confused.

"Well, you see there was this evil thingie that the Initiative created called Adam..." Willow began.
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"...So we did a spell called an enjoining spell. It required me, Xander, and Giles. What it did was give to Buffy our powers combined as well with the source of the Slayer's powers. The Primeval One, the first Slayer, whom we now know, is the source of power for all of the Slayers. I was the Spirit, Giles the Mind and Xander the Heart, the vessel, the strength, came from the Primeval One, in essence the power of all the Slayers including you, joined with Buffy. Although the first Slayer wasn't too happy that we joined with Buffy and evoked the essence or the power of the first Slayer. The first Slayer had this whole Garbo, I vant to be alone thing going on."

"What Willow is suggesting sounds logical. We can do a little more research, although I am not sure what we will find, considering that as far as I know there has never been two living Slayers. However, I would suggest it is safe to say that thell ell has served to open the connection between you two even more. Since you both share in the source of the power of the Slayer, and not as we original thought, that maybe Buffy had passed on part of her Slayer powers to Kendra, who in turn passed them to you Faith."

The Chosen Two looked at one another, this might be part of the reason behind this new connection, but somehow they knew there was more to it then just that. Time they knew would bring them their answer. Giles excused himself mumbling something about looking through the Watcher's diaries, his mind already working on this new twist to the Slayers' connection. Buffy decided it was a good time to make a quick escape.

"You ready to go home Faith?"

Faith's answer was to simply stand, pick Buffy up and start walking towards the door.

"I can walk you know, you don't have to carry me."

"I know. This makes me feel better. Besides, I like holding you. I'll take any excuse I can get to do it."

"You don't need an excuse to hold me Faith. You can do that any time you want. Trust me there will be no complaining going on from here."

Faith ducked her head down and tenderly kissed Buffy on the forehead. She gave her a lopsided grin and carried her out of the office. The Chosen Two were oblivious to the two witches who were smiling at them like indulgent parents.
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...Red rubies daffodils ~ Gentle breezes and windowsills ~ Starlight silver radiation ~ inside my mental television ~ An acid metamorphosis ~ An altered state of consciousness ~ Candy mansions of the soul ~ No compromises turn to gold ~ I must be spoiled and rotten ~ cause no one else will ever do ~ Don't you forget I get what I want ~ All I want is you - Darling Violetta
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Continued in Chapter XVI – Eclipse